Oakland offers slower-paced dim sum experience

At the Pacific Renaissance Plaza mall, on the second floor by a sky-lighted atrium, Restaurant Peony does a brisk dim sum business in its large pink-and-white confection of a dining room. Despite its considerable scale (which makes it a top pick for those who must make it a family affair), the restaurant manages high quality in its Hong Kong-style dim sum.

Servers wheel carts around the restaurant in the traditional style, calling out small-plate offerings as they roll by. Some servers are laconic, while others are gifted in the hard sell -- one tries fervently to persuade us of the culinary joys of pork knuckles. You won't go wrong with the "dan-tat" (egg custard tart), which comes to the table piping hot and lightly browned, with a thick, flaky pastry crust. Another standout is the delicate and flavorful "see-yow-guy" (soy sauce chicken), with tender meat that avoids being excessively salty. The cold seaweed salad with sesame seeds and chili has a pleasantly chewy texture, and the "tsa-leung" (fried dough wrapped in rice noodle and topped with fragrant soy sauce) is a must-have.

Peony's classic "hah-gow" (shrimp steamed in a thin, shell-like wrapping) are wonderfully plump, though the restaurant's "jook" (rice porridge with scallions) is rather bland. If you want to order anything special from the main menu during the dim sum hour -- a family-size plate of Chinese broccoli sauteed in oyster sauce, for instance, or steamed pork buns instead of browned -- ask for one of the waitstaff to come and take your order, but be prepared to wait, as the servers are busy with their carts.